Steam season is upon us and I've been busy working on 1:1 scale things that run on steam. I've obtained my Minnesota Hobby License while attending the University of Rollag College of Steam Traction Engineering. Had a great time. Running the 80hp Case engine at Fort Missoula during the 4th and my Virginia City season starts in two weeks.
Here is a video of the 353 at Rollag
Showing posts with label Prototype. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Prototype. Show all posts
Jun 28, 2008
May 28, 2008
Art Imitating Life?
While looking through the UW archives I came across a map of the Seattle, Lake Shore & Eastern.
The part I found interesting was this bit here:
That with a few modifications is the route of the BT&NCRy. Minus of course the run to the Canadian border and connection to Seattle. It's interesting to note they swung north of Lake Washington to achieve Snoqaulmie while Ronald Seitz chose to cross the lake by ferry. Even before the first rails were laid out of East Ballad the railway was in direct competition with the Northern Pacific That's no good for this upstart. The SL&E only lasted seven years before being taken over by the NP, a process repeated across the country as big railroad bought up small ones. (For SL&E history, click here) No wonder the Seitz Extension was unprofitable from the beginning. Finding this map puts the railway in perspective and makes modeling it that much more fun.
The part I found interesting was this bit here:
That with a few modifications is the route of the BT&NCRy. Minus of course the run to the Canadian border and connection to Seattle. It's interesting to note they swung north of Lake Washington to achieve Snoqaulmie while Ronald Seitz chose to cross the lake by ferry. Even before the first rails were laid out of East Ballad the railway was in direct competition with the Northern Pacific That's no good for this upstart. The SL&E only lasted seven years before being taken over by the NP, a process repeated across the country as big railroad bought up small ones. (For SL&E history, click here) No wonder the Seitz Extension was unprofitable from the beginning. Finding this map puts the railway in perspective and makes modeling it that much more fun.
May 15, 2008
The Real Thing
I am moving to Seattle. Right now I live in the heart of Northern Pacific country in Missoula, MT. But a change is needed, so recently I took a fact finding trip to Seattle. Little did I know it would change my layout in progress!
I'm a huge Deadliest Catch fan, so while tramping the water front in Ballard looking for the star crab boats I stumbled upon the Ballard Terminal Railroad. This is a railroad run by three gentleman to serve two industries in Ballard. Here is a page about it that tells a much better story then I do!
I took some photo's that I feel capture the mood and feel of this railroad.
Here we have some of the industrial type trackage seen on the route.
Heading towards the BNSF mainline with the approach to the massive Salmon Bay Bridge overhead. The grade is sharp and the track work classically industrial.
Abandoned track. This line runs the length of the Ballard waterfront. I can almost see it in it's heyday. The shot trains bringing needed supplies to the multitude of businesses. The loads going out. It's busy and bustling. Gritty and urban.
The modeling possibilities presented were to blatant to pass up. Gone was my logging railroad. The switchback? No more. Sawmill? Maybe. But here was a place I had walked on and looked at and pocked about. I know how big the ballast is, what the neighborhood is like. This makes my Salmon Bay more "real" in my head then the Buck Creek Northern ever would have been. If you have any ideas on how to model what is seen in these pictures, please pass them on! I'll be posting more of my images as the blog progresses!
I'm a huge Deadliest Catch fan, so while tramping the water front in Ballard looking for the star crab boats I stumbled upon the Ballard Terminal Railroad. This is a railroad run by three gentleman to serve two industries in Ballard. Here is a page about it that tells a much better story then I do!
I took some photo's that I feel capture the mood and feel of this railroad.
Here we have some of the industrial type trackage seen on the route.
Heading towards the BNSF mainline with the approach to the massive Salmon Bay Bridge overhead. The grade is sharp and the track work classically industrial.
Abandoned track. This line runs the length of the Ballard waterfront. I can almost see it in it's heyday. The shot trains bringing needed supplies to the multitude of businesses. The loads going out. It's busy and bustling. Gritty and urban.
The modeling possibilities presented were to blatant to pass up. Gone was my logging railroad. The switchback? No more. Sawmill? Maybe. But here was a place I had walked on and looked at and pocked about. I know how big the ballast is, what the neighborhood is like. This makes my Salmon Bay more "real" in my head then the Buck Creek Northern ever would have been. If you have any ideas on how to model what is seen in these pictures, please pass them on! I'll be posting more of my images as the blog progresses!
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